So, it begins...

We've been in one place for nearly 3 months.  Well, we did take some time away over our anniversary to go to San Antonio, but it's time.  Today, we started "changing gears" to go from house with the boat out back mode to wandering about with the RV.

Big Red figures into all this, but she has to change from sport truck (with the color-matched fiberglass tonneau cover) to RV hauler.  We left the 5th wheel hitch in place when we got back from San Antonio... it just fits under the tonneau cover.  That cover is heavy - I'm guessing about 120 pounds; it has "pointy parts" that have to be carefully lifted from the truck.  Then, you have to do something with it.  I made a rack in our cargo trailer to hang it, and it just fits.  So, while holding that awkward cover, you have to tilt it to fit in the trailer, then maneuver it around, and lift it over your head.

That is the heaviest task with all the changes that need to be done.  Then, on to the boat: water systems drained and RV antifreeze put in.  The camperback has to come off, get cleaned, then carefully put away (don't want to scratch those eisenglass windows).  Sta-bil put into the motorcycle tank, then run it up and down the road a bit... OK, I didn't mind that task at all. ;-)

Joan and I were tired when we finished eating an early supper.  She said, "Do you have it in you to run some fuel out of the boat?"

"Well, I guess I'm not that tired."  I went down to get the boat ready while she put the dishes in the dishwasher.  "I guess we'll make this one a sunset cruise," I said.

It was a warm day, with the temp in the upper 70s and a warm breeze.  It was mostly cloudy when we shoved off, but the sky soon showed us plenty of blue.  I put the coals to it... we have been careful about adding fuel over the past month, trying to make sure Wild Blue comes out near empty.  We should be good.

I overheard two of the dolphin excursion boats - they were both looking to see some dolphins, but no sightings.  We ran on by them, heading down the ship channel towards the Gulf.  I pulled back the throttle to enjoy having the windows open, and Joan said, "Dolphins at 2 o'clock!"

I put the boat into place and handed her the camera...

She said, "Since this is our last 'show' for a while, I hope they stick around."  No issue there...

While we sat, they swam all around the boat, being especially playful!  It was a great show!

They were close - they were in front of the boat - they were right behind the boat.  Nice way to wrap up some boat time here!  During the show, I called the excursion boats on the VHF to let them know what we were seeing.  It wasn't long before one of them showed up; thanked us and we visited for a bit.  They had a pretty good crowd on their boat - it's always fun to hear the "oooing and aaahhhing!"

I pointed the boat for home, hoping for a sunset, but there was a pretty good cloud layer right at the horizon.  Joan was still out in the cockpit when she said, "There's no pee stream on the motor!"  I positioned us on the windward side of the channel in the shallows and let her know I was putting the anchor down.  No alarm on the motor, yet.  She had a wire out to hand me as I went back to check the motor.  About three seconds with the wire in the pee hole, and we had a good stream again.  Anchor up and heading for home.  Back to the sunset...

You can see that cloud layer right at the horizon.  So, we'd see the sun go behind that instead of the horizon - that still works for me...

We made our turn up the Port Isabel Channel as the sun dipped into those low clouds...

One more look... and it was gone...

A lovely way to wrap up the day!